1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in a gas discharge panel having a discharge spot scan or shift mechanism, and more particularly to a gas discharge panel having a novel electrode structure for scanning or shifting of discharge spots.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, there has been known in the art, a DC discharge type gas discharge panel having a discharge spot scanning mechanism, for example, the gas discharge display panel developed by Burroughs Corporation of U.S.A. and placed on the market under the name of "SELF SCAN" (Registered Trademark). In the discharge spot scanning mechanism of the abovesaid conventional gas discharge display panel, as described in the detail, for instance, in U.S. publication "ELECTRONICS," Mar. 2, 1970 (Vol. 34, No. 5), pp. 120-135, cathodes for scanning are disposed to perpendicularly intersect defining anodes for scan lines in transverse relation to the anodes. In this prior art device the cathodes are periodically connected to three buses in sequential switchingly order and voltages are switchingly applied to the buses one after another, so that a discharge spot produced at one end of each scan line is shifted to adjacent cathodes one after another. With such a conventional scanning mechanism, however, it is desirable to periodically connect the scanning cathodes to the three buses in a sequential order on a cathode support substrate so as to minimize the number of terminals for external connections, and the use of the so-called crossover techniques for insulating each electrode connected to one of the buses from the other buses is unavoidable. This introduces appreciable complexity in the manufacture of the panel.
Also, in other prior art DC or AC discharge types of self-shift gas discharge display panels, it is necessary to periodically connect shift electrodes to three or more buses on a substrate supporting the electrodes. Accordingly, these display panels also encounter the problem of the troublesome crossover techniques for insulating of intersecting parts of electrodes and buses.